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[4]Hello, I’m Becky [5] from Organizing Made Fun [6]! Toni asked me to share with you another challenge! This time I want to talk about how much YOU {as Mom} do around the house..
[7]Do you sometimes feel like you are the ONLY person in the house who really cares if the house stays clean? Does it seem like everyone, kids and hubby included, seem to sabotage your efforts at having the floors so spotless and clean that you can eat off of them – when five minutes after cleaning them, they spill milk, step in it and walk across the floor to get more?
[8]If this seems to be a problem for you, I have a solution! No matter how little your kids are {well, maybe not an infant}, they can begin to help you clean up! I have a rule in my house with the kids {now age 7 and 12}. I do NOT clean up after them – at all. Now, occasionally Mom will have mercy upon them and HELP them, but I try to save that for a time when they really need it and not every time. I want them to learn to be responsible for the messes they make. Another rule I have is: if they take something out to play, they need to put it away before starting something new. This is important to remind them EVERY time they play stuff.
[9]Being a stay at home mom, it would be easy to just do everything myself. I don’t ask my hubby to do much – I have set up “systems” to help make it easier to put his clothes in the hamper and such – but I don’t ask him to clean much of anything. Around here, his job is the “fixer” and “provider” so the kids and I do most of the cleaning and keeping other stuff up.
[10]If you have NO idea what your kids are capable of doing, here is a few ideas for you, listed by age. {Sources: Me [11], Cozi morning routine [12], and Simple Organized book [13]}.
[14]1-2 yr. old1. Put toys away in bin {with Mom’s help}2. Wipe {just give a damp rag and a table and let them go at it}3. Hand Mommy things to put away
[15]2-4 yr old – 1. Get dressed, put pajamas away {tuck under pillow to use again = less laundry}2. Brush hair3. Brush teeth4. Set the table5. Make bed6. Fold clothes and small items7. Empty dishwasher {with Mom’s help}8. Empty wastebaskets9. Pick up toys before bed
[16]5 – 6 yr old – 1. All of the above2. Clean bathroom sink3. Help clean and straighten drawers and closets4. Clean up after pet5. Feed pet6. Walk dog7. Dust furniture in room8. Vacuum room9. Help put groceries away
[17]7-9 year old – 1. All of the above2. Wash bathroom mirrors3. Wash windows4. Wash floor in small area
[18]10+ yr. old – 1. All of the above2. Wash car3. Mow lawn4. Make dessert5. Paint6. Clean refrigerator7. Do yard work8. Iron9. Fix an entire meal10. Do grocery shopping
[19]To quote Emilie Barnes in her book: “We cannot do it all by ourselves in our homes {when we try, we become frustrated}. When we begin to delegate responsibilities to our children and allow them to do some of the work for us, they begin to feel as if they are a vital part of the family.”Here [11] is a copy of my kids’ current chore charts. Teach your kids YOUNG to clean up after themselves. But, you must also teach them where everything belongs, so don’t assume that they know where things go.
[20]You have to teach them how to organize and declutter [21], also. Another great resource is here [22] to teach them how to organize.
[23]So, now you know that I can’t keep my house “immaculate” {a term I use loosely} by myself! Teach your children to clean up after themselves and do part of the housework!
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